Vol. 397 No. 9
269 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for the Environment if he will prepare an inventory of the age, architecture and structural state of old bridges still in use of normal traffic with a view to (a) ensuring that they are preserved, (b) ensuring that they are designated as national monuments and (c) ensuring that their antiquity and architectural merit is brought to the attention of tourists.
The preparation of bridge inventories and the preservation of old bridges are matters for the local authorities. My Department have, however, taken the following steps in order to assist local authorities in this matter: (1) a report providing advice on the inspection, assessment and rehabitation of masonry arch bridges, which constitute some 80 per cent of the bridge stock, was commissioned and circulated to local authorities in July 1988; (2) the Local Government Computer Services Board were commissioned in 1988 to prepare an appropriate data base system for storage and analysis of relevant information on old bridges including their age, architecture and structural condition and this has been installed by the local authorities; and (3) road grants have been provided in respect of the preservation of bridges.
The question of bringing the antiquity and architectural merit of bridges to the attention of tourists would be a matter for the local authorities themselves and relevant tourism interests. The designation and preservation of bridges as national monuments would be a matter for the Office of Public Works.
